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Balochistan to focus more on agriculture
17 April 2017
Encouraged by increased farm productivity but irked by water shortages, the Balochistan government is set to allocate more funds for irrigation and agriculture in the next fiscal year.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1327372/balochistan-to-focus-more-on-agriculture
Using real-time satellite data to track water productivity in agriculture
20 April 2017
Measuring how efficiently water is used in agriculture, particularly in water-scarce countries, is going high-tech with the help of a new tool developed by FAO. The WaPOR open-access database has gone live, tapping satellite data to help farmers achieve more reliable agricultural yields and allowing for the optimization of irrigation systems.
http://reliefweb.int/report/world/using-real-time-satellite-data-track-water-productivity-agriculture
West Bengal to open agriculture demonstration centre in collaboration with China
17 April 2017, India
West Bengal will soon be the host of an agriculture demonstration centre to be opened in collaboration with China. The centre will showcase methods to grow organic vegetables and how to use machinery to raise efficiency. The centre will get expertise from Shandong province and manpower from Bengal.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/west-bengal-to-open-agriculture-demonstration-centre-in-collaboration-with-china/articleshow/58218880.cms
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change: In big relief, FAO says agriculture in India on right path
22 April 2017, India
Indian agriculture can overcome problems of climate change and take the path of sustainable and climate-smart agriculture according to Shyam Khadka, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative in India.
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/climate-change-in-big-relief-fao-says-agriculture-in-india-on-right-path/637486/
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DROUGHTS
Water companies warn parts of UK could see drought this summer after the driest winter in more than 20 years
18 April 2017
Water companies have warned that parts of UK could see drought this summer after the driest winter in more than 20 years. Lack of rain over the autumn, winter and early spring has left some rivers and reservoirs,particularly in the south and west, with dwindling levels.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/18/water-companies-warn-parts-uk-could-see-drought-summer-driest/
Thousands of balls to counteract drought effects at mining sites
18 April 2017
Chilean company Exma has come up with an innovative solution to counteract the effects of extreme heat and drought on tailing ponds, water desalination pools, process water pools, etc., at mining sites.
http://www.mining.com/thousands-of-balls-to-counteract-drought-effects-at-mining-sites/
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FLOODS
Peru Economy to Recover in 2018, 2019 After Flood Damage
19 April 2017
Peru's economy will recover in coming years with investment in construction after recent flooding, likely growing 4.5 percent in 2018 and 5 percent in 2019, Finance Minister Alfredo Thorne said.
https://www.voanews.com/a/finance-minister-says-peru-economy-will-recover-in-2018-2019/3817498.html
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FOOD SECURITY
IsDB, Nigeria partner on science, innovation, food security
18 April 2017, Nigeria
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Federal Republic of Nigeria have discussed potential collaboration in Science and Technology, innovation and food security. “Nigeria has a lot of potentials, and we want our member countries to make their mark in Science and Technology,” said Mr. Sayed Aqa, IsDB Vice President.
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/business/isdb-nigeria-partner-on-science-innovation-food-security/194069.html
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IRRIGATION
Modern irrigation technology can aid rice harvest, experts say
21 April 2017
Chris Henry, an irrigation engineer and assistant professor with the Division of Agriculture, said Multiple Inlet Rice Irrigation, or MIRI. technology has been around since the 1990s, and has many benefits. “MIRI reduces the cold water effect on the first levee, reduces total water use by 25 percent, allows for the implementation of alternating wetting and drying, and a faster flood time than the traditional cascade system,” he said. “Being able to quickly flood up a field is beneficial for being able to get the flood established for water management as well as weed control and ensuring fertilizer efficiency.”
http://www.pbcommercial.com/news/20170421/modern-irrigation-technology-can-aid-rice-harvest-experts-say
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
UAE most efficient in plugging water leaks
24 April 2017
The UAE has some of the most efficient freshwater infrastructure networks among Gulf countries to guard against costly leaks, according to a new white paper by global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. Stopping leaks from underground water mains that feed homes, commerce and industry, curbs precious desalinated water from being lost into the ground and reduces the need to compensate by producing higher volumes of potable water.
http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/environment/uae-most-efficient-in-plugging-water-leaks-1.2015824
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
68th IEC and 23rd ICID Congress on Irrigation and Drainage, 8-14 October 2017, on the theme: Modernizing Irrigation and Drainage for a new Green Revolution, Mexico City, Mexico, 8-14 October 2017.
Website: http://www.icid2017.org/
69th IEC & Regional Conference, 12–17 August, 2018, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, on the theme: Innovative and Sustainable Agri-water Management: Adapting to a Variable and Changing Climate.
Website: http://www.icid2018.org/
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LATEST PUBLICATION(S)
National Agriculture Policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, September 2016.
Agriculture remains the mainstay of Malawi’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, economic growth, export earnings, poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition. It also plays a critical role in ensuring sustainable use of natural resources. All of these pose a threat to food security and nutrition in the face of a growing population, increased land pressure, and climate change. In trying to address these challenges in the past, Malawi has over-concentrated on maize self-sufficiency for food and tobacco as a cash crop, at the expense of other agricultural commodities, including livestock and fisheries. Moreover, the sector remains predominantly subsistence-oriented. In response, the NAP seeks to sustainably transform the sector from subsistence to a market orientation in order to increase agricultural production, marketed surpluses of commodities, and real incomes.
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/NAP_Final_Signed.pdf
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